


who'd have known

by voldysnose



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: M/M, adam goes to college, and gets everything he deserves, and is really happy and loved
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-29
Updated: 2016-02-29
Packaged: 2018-05-23 20:52:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6129736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voldysnose/pseuds/voldysnose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>adam goes to college and is happy and gets everything he wants !!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Adam is alone in St. Agnes. It seems like Adam is always alone these days, even when he's with Gansey and Blue and Ronan and Noah.

He is trying to get some homework done; he has a shift in an hour and he won't have time afterwards. Adam bends over his physics textbook. _Concentrate_ , he tells himself. _Just finish this, and then you can take a break_. It's a lie, of course, after that he has history and calculus, but he's desperate now. He's been working for half an hour already and nothing has gotten done.

Adam tries to work for another fifteen minutes before he gets frustrated and gives up, slamming the book closed. He needs to get out, now. He'll find another time to do his work, even if it means staying up until the ungodly hours of the morning. He's used to it by now.

He walks out of his apartment and down the street. He doesn't know where he is going until he ends up at Monmouth, which should be too far to walk, but Adam is there, suddenly. His heart starts to pound at the thought that he must have walked all this way, and he didn't even know he was coming here until he arrived, and it's DC all over again.

But it's okay, Adam is safe, Adam knows where he is. He is safe, he tells himself, but still he has to take a seat on the curb and rest his head in his hands and take a few deep breaths.

"Adam?" he hears Ronan's voice behind him, but it sounds muted, far away. "Are you okay?"

In the back of his brain, Adam knows that Ronan is talking to him, but he can't seem to lift his head and answer. He can't see to do anything, and all of a sudden, Adam's breaths are coming in deep, heaving gasps, and he is panicking.

Ronan doesn't say anything further, just sits on the pavement beside him and watches Adam. He isn't doing anything, just sitting, unmoving, but it's a comfort to Adam. _I’m safe_ , he thinks, over and over again. _I’m safe. I’m safe. I’m safe._

When Adam has calmed down and his heart has slowed to a steady pace, Ronan asks again.

"Are you okay?"

Adam straightens up and swallows and clears his throat.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"I was just leaving, if you want a ride back to St. Agnes," Ronan offers. "Um, unless you came to Monmouth for a reason or something."

"Actually, what time is it?" Adam asks.

Ronan shrugs. "Like, five, I think."

He curses under his breath. "Do you think you could, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, do you think you could take me to the workshop? I have to be there, like, now."

Nodding, Ronan stands up and offers Adam a hand. He takes it and is hauled to his feet. Ronan leads him to the BMW, which he unlocks and slides into the driver's seat. Adam gets in as well, and then they are off.

They arrive at the workshop in a matter of minutes, and Adam breathes a sigh of relief. He's not late. His boss won't be mad. It's okay.

"See you tomorrow," Ronan says, unlocking the car doors.

"Thanks for the ride," he replies with a grateful smile. "Yeah, tomorrow."

As soon as Ronan is out of sight, Adam mentally berates himself. _Thanks for the ride_? What is he, twelve? But he shakes it off and heads inside the workshop, or else he really will be late, and he can't deal with another thing on his plate.

Adam leaves work several hours later, and as he walks of the workshop, a wave of exhaustion hits him. He can barely keep his head up, but he still has to get home and shower and finish his work and oh god, Adam doesn't think he can do it this time.

He does, of course. He always manages to do it, always manages to push himself just a little bit further, but it is only a matter of time before he breaks. Adam can feel it, hovering somewhere on the horizon, not too far in the future, but he keeps going. He has to. What else is he to do?

The next day, there is a test in physics. Adam smiles when the teacher announces the test to the class. It is a weary, worn out smile, but god, he's prepared and it feels so good. Suddenly, he remembers why he's doing all this.

He and Ronan and Gansey go out to lunch that day. They're talking about colleges. The early decision results will be in soon, and everyone is on edge.

On the other side of Ronan, Gansey is talking animatedly.

"Well, naturally I applied for Harvard and Princeton, but I think I'd really enjoy Brown," Gansey is saying. "Of course, if I don't get into an Ivy, it's not a big deal. I rather think I'll get into Oxford, and that's where I really want to go."

"Oxford?" Adam asks faintly. "That's so far away."

"Well, yes," Gansey agrees. "I'll come visit, obviously. What about you, Adam?"

He shakes his head. "I can't bear to think about colleges right now."

"He'll get into everything," Ronan says.

Adam doesn't know if he wants to smile or sob. He's applied to all the Ivy Leagues, and Stanford and Georgetown, but they're all such a long shot and seem unreachable, especially now, especially now that they're so close. He shakes his head and grits his teeth.

Changing the subject, he asks, "Can we order?" If either Gansey or Ronan notices the abrupt topic change, they don’t say anything, and instead pick up the menu and take a look at the options.

***

There is a week to go until the college acceptance (or denial) packets come in the mail. Adam wants to punch a wall every time the conversation comes up, which seems to be every day. Ronan seems to share the same opinion, and every time Gansey opens his mouth, presumably to talk about Oxford, the two of them exchange a look of exasperation.

That night, as Adam is getting ready for bed, there is a knock on his door. He starts and goes to open it, thinking it's probably a nun coming to inform him about something. But when he swings open the door, Ronan is standing there, a tall dark shape leaning against the doorframe.

Adam nods at him and opens the door wider, inviting Ronan in. These nightly visits, although infrequent, are always welcome. Plus, there is always a reason for them.

"Are you okay?" Adam asks Ronan. He seems particularly brooding, and isn't saying anything to Adam as he comes into the apartment and stands there, his head bent under the low ceiling.

Ronan is silent for a while, until he whispers, "Everything is going to change."

Adam's face falls and he takes a step closer to Ronan, unsure whether to touch him or leave him alone. Ronan decides for him, taking a seat on the edge of Adam's mattress. Adam joins him, and they sit side by side, thinking.

"I know," he replies. "But it won't change everything. We'll still be friends, and see each other sometimes, and have adventures."

"Do you really think so?" Ronan's voice is bitter. "Gansey's going to fucking _England_ , and Blue will probably go to some tropical country, and you'll go to an Ivy and become the fucking president or something, and I'll..." he trails off. "I'll be stuck here at the Barns waiting for you to come and visit me sometimes."

"That's not true," Adam argues, putting a hand on Ronan's arm.

He jerks away. "Yeah, it is. Don't you pretend you haven't thought about this. I'm not going to college, and so I'll probably just be here, thinking about how much fun you all are having without me and wanting to kill myself."

Adam flinches. "Don't say that." His voice is dangerously low.

"I have to go," Ronan says abruptly. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Wait, Ronan--" he protests, but he is already out the door.

"Fuck." Adam says, punching his mattress. " _Fuck._ "

***

It is March, and the results for the colleges are in.

Adam returns to St. Agnes after school, a pit of nerves roiling in his stomach. Gansey and Ronan and Blue and Noah are with him, for moral support, for which Adam is eternally grateful.

There are ten letters waiting for him at his doorstep. He has been collecting them for a week now, refusing to touch them until they all arrived, and here the envelopes are, one for each college. Adam doesn't know what this means. Has he been accepted, or rejected?

He scoops up all of the envelopes into his arms and walks into his room, the others trailing behind. There isn't really enough room for everyone inside, but they all refuse to be left out. They all gather on the floor around Adam as he opens his letters.

"Which one should I start with?" he asks nervously.

"Georgetown," Gansey suggests, pointing to the closest one. Adam nods, swallowing nervously, and carefully, carefully opens the envelope. Everyone holds their breath as he extracts the papers within.

"Mr. Parrish," Adam reads, his voice shaking, "we are pleased to announce that you have been accepted into the University of Georgetown."

Blue lets out a whoop, and everyone joins in, cheering and laughing and grinning.

Ronan sits next to Adam, and although there is a thin smile spread across his face, he isn’t cheering. "You're going to college, Adam," Ronan says, quietly that no one else hears. "Congratulations."

Adam turns his smile towards Ronan and before the happy mood goes away, leans in for a hug. Ronan tenses before he relaxes and hugs Adam back. He is too happy for Adam to be jealous right now.

"Open the other ones," he suggests.

Adam nods. He's already gotten into Georgetown, and even if that's not his top choice, it's okay if he doesn't get into anything else. He's not going to get his hopes up.

Gansey suggests that they all open one, maybe to relieve the tense mood that has suddenly come over them again. Blue is to open Stanford, Ronan will do Columbia and Cornell, Gansey's opening University of Pennsylvania and Dartmouth, and Noah will open Brown. That leaves Adam with the big three: Harvard, Princeton, and Yale.

"On three!" Blue says, and counts down. "Three, two, one!"

Adam closes his eyes and rips open Princeton's letter. His vision goes a bit blurry and his hands begin to tremble as he reads the words written on the page. Accepted.

"You got into Stanford!" Blue cheers.

"Seems like Brown wants you too," Noah says, slapping Adam on the back.

"Damn, Parrish, you got into Cornell _and_ Columbia. What the fuck," Ronan says admiringly. "What the fuck."

Gansey hands him UPenn and Dartmouth, tears in his eyes. "You got into these, too."

"Are you seriously crying, loser?" Ronan addresses Gansey.

Gansey wipes his face with the back of his hand. "I don't want to talk about it."

A smile spreads over Adam's face. "I don't know what to say," he whispers. "I--"

"Open the last two," Noah interrupts. "Jesus!"

Adam does. Accepted. His eyes start to fill with tears and he hugs himself, shaking. He did it. He did it. He's in. Adam is getting out of Henrietta, he's getting away from his mother and father and into the real world. He made it. He made it.

"Parrish, are you okay?" Ronan asks.

Adam nods. His mind is whirling; this is, quite literally, a dream come true.

"Yeah. I'm okay," he says, and for the first time, he is. "I'm more than okay."

"This calls for a celebration!" Blue exclaims. "It's not every day that you get into all of the Ivies."

"Give me a minute?" Adam asks, a bit overwhelmed by what has happened. "But, yeah. A celebration."

She leans over and kisses him on the cheek. "Congrats, Adam. I love you so much!"

He hugs her, holding her tight. "Thanks," he whispers. "God, I can't believe this."

Gansey is still crying, and Noah and Blue have to escort him out of the room to calm him down.

"What a fucking loser," Ronan remarks after they leave. "He's unbelievable."

Adam grins and turns towards Ronan. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"Me?"

"Is there anyone else in the room?"

Ronan's smile is sharp. "Congrats, Adam. You... you're amazing."

Adam turns away so Ronan won't catch the blush that is spreading across his cheeks.

"You could come with me, you know," he says out of nowhere.

"Come with you?" Ronan’s voice is so soft, hardly more a whisper.

"I don't know where I'm going yet," Adam says. "I didn't, I didn't let myself think that far in advance. But wherever I choose to end up, you could come. So you won't be left behind."

"I don't need your pity, Parrish," Ronan snaps, hard again.

"I'm not doing this out of pity!" Adam retorts. "I don't pity you. I... I want you to come."

Ronan clenches his jaw. "Okay.”

"Why is that so hard to understand?" he asks, shaking his head. "You're my friend, Ronan. It's not like I'm asking you because I feel obligated to, or anything." Adam looks at him, unsure, but Ronan doesn’t respond.

"Whatever," he sighs. "Let's just go." He jerks open the door and smiles at Blue, who anxiously awaits outside.

“Good,” she says when she sees them. “I thought you never were going to come. What were you doing in there anyway, having a heart to heart?”

“Yeah, something like that,” Adam mutters, casting a dark glance towards Ronan. But nonetheless, this is supposed to be his happy day, and he refuses to let anything ruin that.  
 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> psa i changed some stuff on the last ch in regards to adam's applications so now he isn't applying early decision (thanks natalie ur my #1) and it makes some stuff in this chapter make more sense anyway !! it's not rly important !!

   
The celebration continues late into the night; thank god it's a Friday. They start at Nino's and grab sandwiches and iced tea, and then they go out for gelato and Adam indulges himself and gets three scoops, but that isn't really enough for a celebration, so Ronan takes them to a bar.

Bright lights and loud music aren’t really Adam’s scene, but they mull around the bar for a little while and order a round of drinks. Blue and Adam don't want to drink more than a shot each and Gansey is a lightweight, so after two he is completely buzzed. Ronan could keep going all night, but they quickly get bored, and so they return to Monmouth early in the night.

They stagger into the apartment, all exhausted and ready for bed, despite the fact that it's not even eleven, but who is there to judge, really?

Gansey and Blue and Noah collapse onto Gansey's bed as soon as they get into the apartment, and Adam has no desire to sleep on the couch, and so he curls up with them as well. Ronan rolls his eyes at the sight of them, but it looks cozy and no one cares and so he gets into the bed too, and then there are five bodies all pressed up against one another.

Adam falls asleep to Ronan's gentle breathing in his ear and Blue's body curled around his. A wave of happiness hits him. This has been a good day, the best day, and he doesn't want it to ever ever end.

Adam wakes to find himself wrapped around Ronan. Everyone is still asleep, and Noah is sandwiched between Blue and Gansey on the other side of the bed.

Adam swallows. He doesn't want to get up, doesn't want to disturb Ronan, but he is very, very close to him. Very, very close. His nose is touching Ronan's, and if he just leant in...

Adam blinks several times, snapping himself from his thoughts. This is _Ronan_ he's talking about, for god's sake. He can’t go around wanting to kiss _Ronan_.

So instead, Adam stares at his face. He is so soft like this, no trace of the sharp, witty boy he knows. Ronan sighs in his sleep, and Adam freezes, unable to move. He can't move a muscle, or else Ronan will wake up too, and things will get awkward entirely too quickly. But Ronan just sighs again, and then a contented smile spreads across his face. Adam’s heart skips a beat as he stares at Ronan's smile, open and warm. He's never like this when he's awake, never this vulnerable, peaceful. But Adam can't keep his eyes open and he finds his eyelids drooping falling back asleep, and justifying himself with the fact that it's a weekend and he deserves a couple more hours.

When Adam wakes up again, Ronan is sleeping with his back towards Adam, leaving him to wonder if he imagined the whole thing. Sunlight is streaming through the blinds, and birds chirp outside the window. Adam thinks about how nice a fresh cup of coffee would be right now, and shifts in the bed, stretching.

Blue cracks open her eyes. "Morning," she says, her voice thick with sleep.

"Hey," Adam says. "I'm starving. Breakfast?"

She nods, poking Gansey in the face to wake him up.

"Wake up, asshole. Make us breakfast."

Gansey rolls over and cracks his eyes open. "Jane, go away."

"It's like, ten o' clock," she argues. "The day is wasting away!"

"I think I have a hangover," he complains.

"You had like, one drink," Adam says, rolling his eyes.

"It was two," says Gansey, indignant.

Blue continues to poke his face. "I don't care. Go make us breakfast, fucko."

He sits up and rolls out of the bed, pulling Blue with her. She lets out a noise of protest but follows him into the bathroom/kitchen/laundry room, arguing the whole way.

Adam smiles. This is good. Things are good. He doesn't have work today, he's going to college, he's with his friends. He's happy.

He hears Ronan move under the covers and turns to face him. "Parrish," Ronan greets him, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey." Adam swallows, wondering if Ronan realized that they had slept, well, together. But Ronan seems very cool and collected, so he sits up and swings a leg out of bed. It's cold outside the covers, and he doesn't really want to move, but he has to eventually.

Adam catches Ronan staring at him out of the corner of his eye, but doesn't say anything. Instead, he pokes his other leg out and lands on the floor. He walks into the kitchen/bathroom/laundry room, where he finds Gansey and Blue staring at each other, unmoving, to the point where they’re basically eye fucking. He clears his throat but neither of them notice, so he grabs an apple from the fridge and retreats into the living room, where Ronan is still lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Are Gansey and Blue making out in the kitchen?" Ronan asks Adam, still staring at the ceiling.

"You know that Gansey will die if she kisses him," Adam says, "but close enough."

"They're so gross." He pulls a face, but can't quite hide his smile that hides behind it.

"We should just ditch them," Adam suggests. "Take Noah and get the fuck out."

"Yeah, we’ve heard all about how much you've been dying to get out," Ronan snaps.

He pulls back, stung. "Really?" he says. "Are you seriously doing this right now?"

"Shit, Parrish, I didn't mean that," Ronan says hastily.

Adam’s voice is frosty. "Clearly, you did."

Ronan is up and across the floor in a matter of seconds. "I'm sorry," he says, almost pleading. "I'm sorry, I didn't... I'm sorry."

"I should go," Adam says, edging towards to door. There’s nothing like a bit of Ronan to ruin his day, and he’s not in the mood for anymore.

"Adam..."

"What." He spins around, angry now. "What, Ronan? What do you have to say to me? You've made everything quite clear. You don't want to come with me, I get it. You can just stay here and wallow in self-pity and hate and wait for us to come back to you, and then one day we won't, one day we'll have made our own lives, and when you're not part of them, you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

Ronan steps back, away from Adam. His face is blank. He doesn't say anything. He doesn't have to. Adam leaves Monmouth, furious, and goes back to St. Agnes, and sits at his desk for at least an hour or two and puts his head in his hands and thinks about Ronan and colleges, but mostly Ronan.

Adam decides on Dartmouth. He doesn't know what makes up his mind, but the allure of New Hampshire and the sea and the mountains and the freedom seems to call to him and before he knows it, he is accepting their offer and is flying out with Gansey on spring break to do a campus tour. Blue would have come except she can’t afford it, and Noah would have come except he's a ghost, and Ronan would have come except he and Adam aren't exactly on speaking terms.

Adam and Ronan haven't really spoken since their fight. Adam doesn't know why Ronan is being so unreasonable anyway. He didn't do anything, and he's acting like it's the end of the world that they're all leaving for college. What did he think would happen? It's a part of growing up. Adam shakes his head. He's done with Ronan's drama.

He and Gansey leave for the airport three hours in advance. It would only be two, except Gansey insists on taking the Pig, and it'll probably break down on the way. Blue and Noah come to see them off, and Ronan is eventually persuaded to join them.

Blue calls shotgun and so Adam is stuck sitting pressed next to Ronan for the car ride. Normally he wouldn't mind, but these are different circumstances, and plus, he’s still angry at Ronan for what he said, even though that was weeks ago.

Blue and Gansey are chattering away, so Adam is left to Ronan’s terse silence for the car ride. But halfway through, he gives up and turns towards him.

His voice is low so no one else can hear, although Noah is probably listening in. “Ronan, I’m sorry for what I said.”

He shrugs and continues looking out the window. “Whatever, Parrish. It’s a little late for that.”

“Look at me,” Adam demands. “I said I was sorry, okay?”

“I did too,” Ronan counters. “And you fucking blew me off.”

A sinking feeling appears in Adam’s gut. This is true, he knows it. Adam buries his head in his hands.

“Can we just forget this ever happened?” he whispers. “I miss you, okay?”

Ronan sighs and plays with his leather bands. An elegant swear escapes from his lips.

“God, okay, fine. Fine. I don’t want to stay mad at you.”

A tiny, tiny smile twitches at the corner of Adam’s mouth. “It sucks.”

Ronan doesn’t say another word for the rest of the car ride, but it’s okay, because he inches a little closer to Adam and isn’t quite so tense anymore. Gansey and Adam get out of the car to unload their suitcase. They haven’t brought much; they’ll only be gone for a week.

Gansey tosses the keys to the Pig to Ronan. “Don’t crash my car,” he warns.

“I’ll just dream you a new one,” Ronan says, all nonchalant, turning towards Adam. “Have a good trip, fuckface,” he says, a little grudgingly. “Don’t get caught up with all the pretentious assholes while you’re away.”

“I’m used to them,” he says, lightly punching Ronan in the arm. As an afterthought, he adds, “see you soon.”

“ _Vide te Mox_ ,” Ronan mouths in Latin.

“ _Fuck you_ ,” Adam mouths in reply, and walks into the airport with Gansey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope u enjoyed chapter 2 bc i sure did!!! i'm on tumblr if u wanna talk!

**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading ch 1 friends! also i don't know how college acceptances work rly and so i had them send adam letters or whatnot and he also applied to 10 which is a lot but !!!! i'm on tumblr if u wanna talk!


End file.
